Japan Disaster: Relief & Recovery

In the wake of Japan’s major flood disasters in recent years–from heavy rains in Hiroshima in 2018 to mudslides in Saga in August 2021–Peace Winds has been working on community-building and disaster preparedness activities in the affected areas. Since November 2021, local residents have had the opportunity to attend various social events and workshops where they can get to know their neighbors and learn about best practices in the event of another natural disaster. 

One disaster prevention lecture in May 2021 began with a presentation from the sixth graders at Koyaura Elementary School. They spoke about their experience living in the town of Koyaura, Hiroshima in the wake of the floods in 2018 as well as the community's efforts for reconstruction. A Peace Winds staff member who attended the event has said how brave the children were to speak about the painful experience. They also created a disaster prevention map simulating the event, and our staff members noted that this could be used as a reference for learning about disaster mitigation in other areas. 

After the children’s presentation, Professor Murosaki of Kobe University and other professionals held lectures about disaster prevention and mitigation, giving recommendations about what to do in the event of future natural disasters.

At a separate event on May 29, Peace Winds held a “Peace Concert” and a disaster prevention workshop, attended by more than 100 families. The workshop event included booths where attendees could make emergency contact cards and learn how to make ramen noodles with cold water in the event of an emergency–knowledge that is crucial when citizens lose access to hot water or electricity.

Although COVID-19 restrictions in western Japan have been less stringent in recent months, cases are on the rise again, and Peace Winds has had to cancel upcoming events in the town of Saka, Hiroshima prefecture. Originally, Peace Winds had planned to conclude this program on May 31, 2022; however, due to the setbacks caused by increasing COVID cases, the project will continue until July 31 of this year. We look forward to hosting and bringing updates from even more community-focused events in western Japan!

Peace Winds has received thank you letters from several municipalities in Hiroshima prefecture informing us that the Disaster Volunteer Centers are closing but that they will continue their support for the affected people following the floods in August 2021. The letter above reads: 

“We would like to extend sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported our activities. We do believe it was the strongest support for the affected people that you were always with us.

Even though our Disaster Volunteer Center is closing, there is still a long way to go before the affected people will be able to get back to their normal everyday life.

We appreciate your continuous support for our reconstruction.”

We would like to share these letters, with our warmest appreciation that each one of you enabled us to serve for the affected people on the ground.

In 2022, Peace Winds will continue to support the efforts of community-based disaster risk reduction not only in flood-affected areas but all over Japan, keeping in mind that every part of the country is prone to natural disasters.

Again, thank you so much for your kind support, and we hope you will stay with Peace Winds on our journey to reduce the risk and suffering from disasters as we believe it is worth the tireless work.

In mid-August, Peace Winds visited Omachi Town and Takeo City, both in Saga Prefecture, which were severely impacted by the floods triggered by torrential rains throughout Japan. These two municipalities were among the areas that were also hit by heavy rains across northern Kyushu two years ago, which also caused mudslides and damage to roads and properties.

The higher rainfall this time caused even greater flooding and damage, and even homes and businesses located on higher ground were affected. Among the properties that were impacted were houses and other properties that were erected to replace buildings devastated by the disaster two years ago. This continues to be a cause of great distress for residents.

Among Peace Winds' humanitarian aid activities is the delivery of emergency supplies to four shelters in Omachi Town and eight shelters in Takeo City. The supplies we are delivering include clothing; beverages and foodstuffs, including for babies and infants; sanitary gels and other sanitary products; lamps; towels (supplied by IKEA); electric fans; pillows; insect repellents and insect bite treatments (a must-have item in shelters where windows are kept open as a COVID-19 countermeasure). Additionally, we provide free taxi vouchers for disaster victims in Omachi Town.

Meanwhile, in late August, our “ARROWS” airborne search and rescue squad dispatched a team to several parts of Hiroshima Prefecture that were also affected by the August floods.

We are continuing our investigations into each locality that was impacted by the disasters. At the same time, we continue to visit volunteer centers and social welfare organizations to deliver supplies for disaster-affected residents, including drinks, hygiene kits, care products such as shampoos, and towels.

We will continue our efforts to support those in the disaster zone with the aim of getting things back to normal as quickly as possible.

We kindly ask for your continued support in this mission, and send our sincerest thanks for your assistance so far!

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Peace Winds is working to provide relief for Japanese residents impacted by recent flooding in the country. As of August 14, 2021, 1.5 million people in Saga, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, and Hiroshima alone have been placed under the highest emergency alert after rivers broke their banks, inundating homes. The danger is spreading, resulting in landslides, evacuations and deaths. In response, Peace Winds is conducting rescue operations and providing medical support in affected areas, led by ARROWS, our airborne search & rescue squad.

A wide swathe of Japan has been hit by torrential rains, which have forced rivers to burst their banks and triggered landslides. More than half a million residents have been placed under the highest emergency alert. Some have been forced to seek shelter after evacuating their homes, which have been inundated by the floods. Around a dozen deaths have already been reported.

ARROWS, an airborne search & rescue squad operated by Peace Winds, will conduct rescue operations, providing medical support in all affected areas and delivering emergency supplies. Peace Winds is also dispatching emergency relief teams providing medical support through doctors and nurses and logistic and other assistance at evacuation centers. The teams will also assist with the procurement and distribution of emergency supplies, including water, food, and sanitation products.

The rains are projected to continue for some time and flooding to spread, extending the need for relief efforts throughout Japan. Affected residents will continue to require support for considerably longer as repairs to homes and infrastructure will take time to complete, especially due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which has escalated to new heights in Japan in recent weeks. This has caused many areas to be placed under lockdown, making the need for long-term support even more crucial. Peace Winds greatly appreciates your support in our efforts to provide immediate relief and long-term recovery to those affected by Japan’s latest disaster.

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Peace Winds not only rescues people in times of disaster, but cats and dogs too.

Each year, tens of thousands of abandoned pets are euthanized in Japan. Sadly, it's common for people to keep cats and dogs without considering the cost or responsibility, and many end up abandoned after their owners are unable to take care of them. Through our "Peace Wanko" project--Japanese for "Peace Doggy"--we are working to halt this practice by rescuing abandoned pets, retraining them, and finding them new homes or jobs as search-and-rescue dogs. Since 2016, we have built a large shelter in Hiroshima and taken in more than 6,000 dogs, including the sick and injured. We have more than 100 dedicated staff members working in eight locations around Japan to rescue these animals.

Some of the pets Peace Winds rehabilitates get adopted into new loving homes while others are retrained and stay with our organization to help save people in times of natural disaster around the country. There's still a long way to go to save the tens of thousands of other dogs and cats that continue to be euthanized annually across Japan, but with your help, we plan to open more adoption centers and hire more training staff. We remain committed to putting a stop to the cruel and senseless killing of countless innocent animals so they can go on to find good homes and help people in need.